I had a 6542 Gmt but didn't have the bakelite bezel. Bought an aftermarket one but didn't have the heart to install it, left it as is. Did you post this picture on the VRF?
some reference materials - The mighty bakelite insert of the Rolex 6542. Next you can check if it emits radium as the originals did but Rolex did replace / recall the 600 back in the day so Tritium is ok. Then there is the physical inspection a few more p...
As the pce is with me for +- more than 30 years ( without me knowing ), Looking at it's state of conservation, for a part that's supposedly to be from before 1960, and that it might ( unlikely) have been someday mounted on a watch for some short time befo...
We have two things... The original strontium bezel. The one which has been changed by Rolex since 1960: The original has a lighter blue, the one changed by Rolex in 1960 has a darker blue. No more strontium, which was super radioactive. Replaced by what I...
I did months of research about this thing and for the various versions... If I'm good, so there are 2 ( or 3 ) different make of this bakelite insert ! - a radium with strontium activator "original" ( radio active ) soon replaced by - a service with zink ...
but the insert looks quite different : - numbers seems whiter ! ( color temp difference in ambiant lighting ? ) - numbers seems less in "3d" fx ! I compared another one with the same differences b4. (from sotheby's sale) is this an original radium insert ...
After wondering the means to get a definitive answer, finding a potential amateur.. I visited a Rolex collector/specialist in Rivoli ( it ). He seems to know a lot about Rolex. Then, he measured all the insert + bezel kit in all possible ways ( UV, IR, Ge...
It's requesting a 6542 missing it's insert or with a broken one ! any clue ? btw I also found some complementary documents ... Rolex Genève in the early GMT times ! ...
Now that cleared, where can I find an original 6542 without it's bezel ? ( I've kind of looked around yet, but no success : c24, ebay, rpm, ... only recent mostly >1965 )
I recently inherited some watches from an uncle who sold high end jewelry in manhattan and this was in a box of watches a 1956 6542 with broken Bakelite bezel I’m not an expert but I’m going to go to Rolex tomorrow and have it checked I believe it’s legit...